Charlie, could you please give us examples of domesticated breeds that have survived for several generations in the wild without reverting back towards
the wild type?   Even Darwin pointed out that domesticated breeds rarely
survive for long in the wild.



Your mixing things up.  Huge difference between we genetically changed them to unsurviable to,  do they stay that way when released.  Hogs are a perfect example.   Domestic hogs look very little like the long lost ancestors.   And yet turn them free and they do fine.   Same with most cattle.   Keep in mind we have translocated them  so hogs may have a bit of an issue in say Canada.  But overall the genetics do just fine.  Not withstanding the docile ones that are so tame they get eaten quickly.

The reason domestics don't do well has absolutely nothing to do with genetics,  but learned behaviors. If a rabbit has not been taught to run,  it will become food.  TThats a long ways from breeding issues.   Reverting to wild behaviors is not the same as we have breed them to be unable to survive.

Of course they revert a bit in behavior.  That would be the epigentics as pointed out.  They may grow longer hair in the winter without the barn,  other than that  every one I know of will do just fine,  and have on many occasions and locations.

Can you cite an example of an animal we have changed so much it won't survive without us??  Even dogs and cats are geneticly capable of surviving just fine.


Charles

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